MOSCOW, Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nutrilite Health Institute of Amway announced today new study results stemming from a U.S.-Russia collaboration demonstrating that overweight Russian adults have stress markers – biological indicators of stress – that may be linked to poor long-term health outcomes. The findings presented at the U.S.-Russia Scientific Forum in Moscow extend beyond the initial findings presented in late 2010 at the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology (FASEB) in Washington D.C. The results highlight the successful collaboration between the Russian Institute of Nutrition, a branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Amway's Nutrilite Health Institute.

The U.S.-Russia Scientific Forum is a public-private partnership created to encourage broader U.S.-Russia research collaboration in biomedical and behavioral research. Beginning in 2010, the Forum has hosted annual meetings and workshops to bring together researchers from both countries. The partnership aims to facilitate collaboration that will improve public health by strengthening activities related to disease control, treatment and prevention, clinical and translational research, manufacturing practices and regulatory science, and emerging technologies in the field of health care.

"The Nutrilite Health Institute has conducted a number of assessment studies to measure health status and needs in various countries," said Amway Technology Strategist Keith Randolph, PhD. "In partnership with the Russian Institute of Nutrition, we've seen that Russian adults, like their American counterparts, exhibit indicators suggestive of poor heart health. These findings are directly relevant to a prestigious forum such as this, and I am proud to present a portion of this work here in Moscow."

Dr. Randolph presented the selected findings of two studies. The first evaluated biological markers of stress in two hundred Russian patients admitted to the Russian Institute of Nutrition, half of whom had a history of cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that those with a history of cardiovascular disease had significantly higher levels of stress markers suggestive of inflammatory and metabolic stress compared with those with no history of the disease.

Dr. Randolph also presented the results of a proof of principle nutrigenetic clinical research published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2008 demonstrating that elevated levels of inflammatory stress markers can be reduced using natural, plant-based compounds extracted from rose hips, grape leaves and vines, and berries. The researchers found that the bioactive compounds worked preferentially in individuals who were genetically at risk for higher levels of the inflammation.

"Across the globe, we are entering an era in which it will be critical to identify new early stress indicators that presage disease onset, as well as safe and efficacious 'wellness' interventions that preserve health and build resilience to health decline," said Dr. Randolph. "Clinical assessment and intervention research such as these studies advance us towards those goals. We've found that appropriately targeted and formulated botanical formulations are feasible, safe and effective. "

About Nutrilite & Nutrilite Health Institute

NUTRILITE® is the world's No. 1 selling vitamins and dietary supplements brand* offered exclusively from Amway. Also the top-ranking brand of children's vitamins, NUTRILITE products are developed for personal daily nutrition, heart health, strong bones and weight management. Ingredients in NUTRILITE products are sourced from around the world with naturally occurring phytonutrients, minerals and highly purified vitamins, combined with the best that science has to offer. The NUTRILITE brand is the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest, and process plants on its own certified organic farms.** Farms are located in California, Washington, Mexico, and Brazil. (www.nutrilite.com) The Nutrilite Health Institute is a worldwide collaboration of experts who are dedicated to helping people achieve optimal health – through research, education, and practical, personalized solutions.

About Amway

Amway is one of the world's largest direct selling businesses. In its most recent fiscal year, the Amway family of companies reported global sales of $9.2 billion. Founded in 1959 and based in Ada, Michigan, USA, Amway offers consumer products and business opportunities in more than 80 countries and territories worldwide through a distribution network of more than 3 million direct sellers. Amway's top-selling brands are NUTRILITE® vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements, ARTISTRY® skincare and colour cosmetics, and eSpring® water treatment systems. The company provides product development, manufacturing and logistics services through its Access Business Group and Alticor Corporate Enterprises divisions. For further information, visit www.amway.com.

** "Source Euromonitor International Limited; Based on 2010 RSP sales (US$) of Vitamins and Dietary Supplements (VDS) across all retail channels. VDS includes mineral supplements, fish oils, dietary supplements, tonics and bottled nutritive drinks and child-specific vitamins and dietary supplements. "Global Presence" for a brand is defined as having at least a 0.1% regional value share in a least four of the seven global regions. To challenge the claim, brand owners must at least partially own and control the production process, from farms where ingredients are grown to the plants were the brand is manufactured. Brand owners must not only own farms where inputs used in the manufacture of a brand are planted, grown and harvested, but these farms must also be organically certified. Based on Euromonitor research for Amway Corporation. To the extent permissible, Euromonitor does not accept or assume responsibility to any third party in respect of this claim."